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Gabriel Medina (BRA) takes to the air on his way to victory in the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal at Supertubos in Peniche on Wednesday Photo: WSL / Poullenot

– WSL Title Showdown Goes To Hawaii After Quarterfinal Elimination for John John Florence– Jordy Smith and Julian Wilson Keep World Title Hopes Alive

SUPERTUBOS, Peniche/Portugal (Wednesday, October 25, 2017) – Gabriel Medina (BRA) won the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Stop No. 10 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), in tricky 1 – 1.5 metre waves to clinch the eighth event title of his career, just ten days he secured his seventh title in France.

Medina turned the tables on Julian Wilson (AUS) in a rematch of their 2012 final at Supertubos which was narrowly won by the Australian.

“I’m really happy right now, I had a goal to just win an event in Europe so to win those two is incredible,” Medina stated. “Now I feel tired, that was a lot of work! Julian (Wilson) got me so many times so it feels good to get one back over him. When he got the score at five minutes I thought ‘Oh My God, not again’, but I kept going and I’m so stoked I won in the end.”

Coming into Europe ranked eighth on the Jeep Leaderboard, Medina, the 2014 WSL Champion, rocketed up to second with his back-to-back wins in Hossegor and Peniche and will be the chief threat to John John Florence’s ambitions for back-to-back WSL titles when the tour concludes at Pipeline in Hawaii in December.

“Before I wasn’t, but now I’m definitely thinking about the title,” Medina added. “He (Florence) has an advantage with more points but you know anything can happen. I want to surf Pipe so bad, I love that wave and I got some good results there in the past, and nothing’s impossible!”

Wilson won every heat on his way to the final and this result keeps his title hopes alive by closing the gap on Jeep front-runner Florence. Previously in sixth place on the Jeep Leaderboard, today’s result sees Wilson move up to fourth.

“It was an awesome few days here, we had great challenging conditions before and cute smaller conditions today,” Wilson stated. “We always get a good test coming here to Peniche, it can be intimidating, or super exciting going for big airs. I’m glad we got a couple of exchanges in that heat and congratulations to Gabriel! Thanks Peniche for having us again and supporting us, we all love the wave, the challenge, we really embrace your positivity ”

The semi-finals saw Wilson overcome the challenge of Kolohe Andino (USA) in a high-scoring clash before Medina put paid to the hopes of Kanoa Igarashi (USA) in a tighter affair.

Current World No. 1 John John Florence (HAW) was unusually out of rhythm in his quarter-final match-up with Andino and was eliminated in equal fifth position.

“It was just really hard to find waves out there,” Florence said. “He found two really fun ones but even still it wasn’t those ones we were seeing in the morning. I was excited to get out there and get barreled but couldn’t find them. I get to go home now and I’m really excited to go surf Pipe and hopefully we get some good waves. If I win at home it will be even more meaningful I feel like.”

Florence’s 5th place finish means the WSL Title race will head to the final stop on the 2017 Championship Tour at the Billabong Pipe Masters on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, in December. Four surfers remain in contention heading into the final event: Florence who leads the rankings, Medina, Wilson and South Africa’s Jordy Smith, who was eliminated in Round 3 and dropped from second to third on the Jeep Leaderboard.

Florence is the only one of the quartet who has his fate entirely in his own hands and he will win his second consecutive WSL Title if he makes the final at Pipeline and finishes 1st or 2nd.

– If Florence is eliminated in the semis (3rd) or quarters (5th), Medina will need a 1st at Pipe to win the World Title;
– If Florence is eliminated in Round 5 (9th), Medina will need a 2nd or Smith will need a 1st;
– If Florence is eliminated in Round 3 (13th) or Round 2 (25th), Medina will need a 5th, Smith a 2nd or Wilson a 1st .

Event highlights are available via WorldSurfLeague.com and the WSL app.

About the World Surf League
The World Surf League (WSL), formerly the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), is dedicated to celebrating the world’s best surfing on the world’s best waves through a variety of best-in-class audience platforms. The League, headquartered in Santa Monica, is a truly global sport with regional offices in Australasia, Africa, North America, South America, Hawaii, Japan and Europe.

The WSL has been championing the world’s best surfing since 1976, running in excess of 180 global events across the Men’s and Women’s Championship Tours, the Big Wave Tour, Qualifying Series, Junior and Longboard Championships, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The League possesses a deep appreciation for the sport’s rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation and performance at the highest levels, and in doing so crowns the undisputed world champions in Men’s, Women’s across all divisions within the tour.

Showcasing the world’s best surfing on its digital platform at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the free WSL app, the WSL has a passionate global fan base with millions tuning in to see world-class athletes like Tyler Wright, John John Florence, Paige Alms, Grant Baker, Phil Rajzman, Tory Gilkerson, Mick Fanning, Stephanie Gilmore, Kelly Slater, Carissa Moore, Gabriel Medina, Courtney Conlogue and more battle on the most unpredictable and dynamic field of play of any sport in the world.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
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Cape Town Surfriders team celebrate winning the Freedom Cup by the narrowest margin in 21 years at the Billabong SA Junior Champs pres. by BOS at Jeffreys Bay on Sunday Photo: Billabong / McGregor

Cape Town Surfriders clinched the coveted Freedom Cup for the team accumulating the highest points across all divisions at the 2017 Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS, which was completed in excellent one metre waves at the Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay today (Sunday).

The victory margin was the closest in the 21 history of the trophy with the team from Cape Town reclaiming the cup they won in 2015 by scoring just 63 points more than their arch rivals from eThekweni. The Capetonians also claimed two of the eight individual national titles at stake and provided five of the 32 finalists, earning a total of 42,840 points.

eThekweni (42,777) finished runners-up with hosts and defending team champions Nelson Mandela Bay (41,792) in third place and Buffalo City (40,277) in fourth. They were followed in the team standings by Cape Winelands, Ugu, Eden, debutants Ilembe and the SA Development Academy.

The 2017 edition of the national junior championships will be remembered for the incredible waves across all five days with sunshine, whales sightings, great memories and after an excellent final day a new set of champions will have their names inscribed in the annals of South Africa surfing history.

Ford Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) was consistent throughout the U18 boys’ division, winning every single heat he contested. He was elated to improve on his runner up position in the u/17 boys’ division at SA champs last year by claiming the premier boys’ title this year.

Nelson Mandela Bay surfer Joshe Faulkner was relegated to second place by a mere 0.21of a point leaving Koby Oberholzer (eThekweni) and Adin Masencamp (Cape Winelands) in third and fourth places respectively.

Kirsty McGillivray (Nelson Mandela Bay) added another SA title to her name with her powerful and precise surfing, capturing the crown in the dying seconds of the u/18 girls final. Nina Harmse (Eden) maintained her runner-up berth from last year while goofy foot Natasha Van Greunen (Cape Winelands) finished third above her teammate Sarah Ingram in a heat with few waves.

After a heat total of 19.47 in his semi final earlier in the day, Eli Beukes had unshakeable confidence in the u/16 boys final, sealing his title with a big air-reverse on his last wave. Aya Gericke (Eden) read the waves beautifully for a second place finish above Saxton Randall (eThekweni). After a rocky start Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay) went for broke with a huge aerial manoeuvre but was unable to stick the landing and had to settle for fourth place.

The talented u/16 girls had a slow final but Nelson Mandela Bay surfer and J-Bay local Kai Woolf knew just the right waves to pick to claim another SA title with her ferocious backhand attack. Runner-up S’nenhlanhla Makhubu (eThekweni) was a good match for Woolf on her backhand and held the highest single score in the final, an 8.5, but struggled to find a heat winning back up ride. Tayla De Coning (Buffalo City) was narrowly bumped to third place with Summer Sutton (Cape Town Surfriders) finishing fourth.

The u/14 boys were blowing up throughout the contest but in the end it was Buffalo City’s Mitch Du Preez who claimed his first SA title with a total of 16.44, despite only surfing three waves in the 20 minute final. Teammate Daniel Emslie finished close behind in second place ahead of Luke Thompson (eThekweni) and Kye Macgregor (Nelson Mandela Bay).

Zoe Steyn (Buffalo City) had a fantastic final in the u/14 girls, dominating proceedings and winning with a 16.33 heat total. Katie Winter (Cape Town Surfriders) finished in second place leaving Lhea Johnston (Buffalo City) and Ceara Knight (Cape Winelands) in third and fourth place respectively.

The u/12 groms were a pleasure to watch as they fearlessly charged the overhead waves. In the girls final Gabbi Herbst (eThekweni) held the lead with a series of great scores while Scarlette Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) earned a well warranted second place in her first SA champs. In third was Nelson Mandela Bay rider Zia Hendricks and in fourth was Maya Figl (Cape Winelands).

The charismatic Kyra Bennie (Cape Winelands) was chaired from the water’s edge to the podium by his teammates after taking out the u/12 boys’ title. Nate Colby (eThekweni), who on Saturday scored the only perfect ten-point ride of the contest, finished runner-up while Ethan Currin (Buffalo City) edged into third place ahead of River Gericke (Eden).

“This event has been amazing with awesome waves every day here at Lower Point!” enthused Billabong South Africa Marketing Manager, Chad Darcy. “The surfing standard has been really high – the groms have been blowing up and it’s great to see some new faces claim the titles. From Billabong’s point of view we are really stoked, it’s a great way to end the 2017 contest season.”

There were a number of specialty awards at stake with newly crowned SA U16 boys’ champ Eli Beukes (Cape Town Surfriders) claiming both the BOS Highest Heat Score and the VonZipper Airshow prizes. The Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys went to Nate Colby (eThekweni) and for Girls to Caroline Brown (Cape Town Surfriders). The Skull Candy Loud & Proud trophy for the team displaying the best spirit throughout the five-day event went to the enthusiastic team from Ugu on the KZN South Coast.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team participated in the event thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Hashtag: #SAJuniorChamps

Website: Contest schedule, results and images will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

Max Elkington (Cape Town Surfriders) kept his challenge alive for the U16 boys’ title at the Billabong SA Junior Champs pres. by BOS at Jeffreys Bay on Saturday Photo: Billabong / Thurtell

The penultimate day of the 2017 Billabong SA Champs presented by BOS saw the semi-finalists decided in another action packed day of excellent, rippable surf at the Point in Jeffrey’s Bay on Saturday.

The beach was alive with cheers from the various district teams as they got behind their teammates, knowing that a spot on finals day will be valuable to their team standings. Those still in contention are a step closer to a coveted South African junior surfing title and a place in the record books.

“What a great day again – conditions were phenomenal this morning,” said commentator Kai Linder. “All the U18 heat winners were standouts and in the U12 boys and girls semi-finals the mini-groms were charging double overhead conditions. Then Nate Colby, on the last wave of the day, scores a perfect ten! All the U12’s were heroes today!”

The U18 boy’s quarterfinals were a blur of high quality surfing that saw seasoned competitors Ford Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) and Adin Masencamp (Cape Winelands) shred their way to the semis along with Koby Oberholzer (eThekweni), Joshe Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay), Ethan Fletcher (Cape Town Surfriders) and Nathan Wallace (eThekweni).

Zoe Steyn (Buffalo City) once again dominated on her backhand in the U14 girls’ quarterfinals whilst dark-horse Jesse Powell (Ugu) managed to eliminate former SA champ Kayla Nogueira (eThekweni) in a major upset. Lhea Johnston (Buffalo City) and Ceara Knight (Cape Winelands) will be joining Cape Town Surfriders teammates Caroline Brown and Katie Winter on the final day of competition.

The fact that five near perfect high nine-point rides have been posted in the U16 girls division demonstrates the high level of surfing. Kai Woolf (Nelson Mandela Bay) and Julia Ploughman (Cape Town Surfriders) were the first semi finalists to be decided before S’nenhlanhla Makhubu (eThekweni) began her heat with a near-perfect 9.83 and left the rest of the heat in combination.

Joining them in the semi finals will be Tayla De Coning (Buffalo City), Summer Sutton (Cape Town Surfriders), Juliet Fliet (Cape Winelands) and eThekweni team members Gabi Lailvaux and Olivia Izzard.

A slight onshore wind and increase in swell gave the U18 girls had plenty to work with. Nelson Mandela Bay’s Kirsty McGillivray, Kelly Medley and Zoe Smith were right at home in their backyard and soared their way to the semi’s. Eden ladies Taghiti Gerick and Nina Harmse will be in action in the semi’s too alongside Cape Wineland surfers Sarah Ingram and Natasha Van Greunen.

The U12 girls put on another gutsy performance in their Round 2 match-ups. Gabi Herbst (eThekweni) and Maya Figl (Cape Winelands) surfed their way to the semi finals. A change in schedule saw the girls hit the water again at the end of the day. Scarlette Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) advanced to the final with Herbst. Zia Hendricks (Nelson Mandela Bay) and Figl both dropped excellent scores in the second semi and will be in the mix for the title.

The U14 boys displayed some excellent and precise surfing and it was the on form eThekweni members Nate Spalding and Luke Thompson who progressed with Kye Macgregor (Nelson Mandela Bay), Brad Scott (Cape Town Surfriders) and Buffalo City surfers Daniel Emslie and Mitch Du Preez.

The semi finals for the U16 boys could each be a final! Semi 1 will be Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay), Saxton Randall (eThekweni) and Cape Town Surfriders Max Elkington and Luke Slijpen while Semi 2 will be just as exciting with Tide Lee Ireland (eThekweni), Aya Gericke (Eden), Bryce Du Preez (Buffalo City) and Eli Beukes (Cape Town Surfriders).

To end off the day the U12 boys’ finalists were decided. Kyra Bennie (Cape Winelands), Nate Colby (eThekweni), who posted the first perfect 10 point ride of the event, River Gericke (Eden) and Ethan Currin (Buffalo City) will be battling out for the SA title on Sunday.

Organisers are expecting a slight bump in swell size and offshore winds for tomorrow’s final day as the country’s top juniors compete for individual titles in U12, U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls divisions, while earning points towards the coveted Freedom Cup that goes to the district whose team accumulate the highest total.

There are also a number of specialty awards at stake including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls, while the team displaying the best spirit throughout the five-day event receives the prized Loud & Proud trophy.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Hashtag: #SAJuniorChamps

Website:
Contest schedule, results and images will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

The Billabong SA Champs pres. by BOS continued to prove its wave magnet status as the Lower Point at Jeffreys Bay continued to produce epic surf on Day 3 as the country’s top 18-and-under surfers revelling in the long rides while battling for national titles and invaluable team points.

It was an early start for Round 3 of the U16 boys and Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay) wasted no time in dropping an excellent score on his way to the quarterfinals. Cape Town Surfriders Eli Beukes and Max Elkington once again proved that J-Bay suits their stylish and powerful surfing by finishing their heats with 17-point totals.

“I had a really fun heat in great waves and was stoked to get a quick start and that nine point ride,” said Elkington. “We have a lot of new people on our team so I am interested to see how we do. I feel like I’ve gained valuable contest experience from the ISA World Juniors in Japan last week and the rest of the forecast this week is looking really good.”

The U14 boys Round 3 were next to surf and eThekweni team members Luke Thompson, James Ribbink and Nate Spalding all found places in the quarterfinals, where they were joined by Mitch Du Preez (Buffalo City) who surfed with maturity far beyond his age.

The extremely competitive U18 boys Round 3 was exciting to watch as Luke Malherbe (Buffalo City) and Koby Obelholzer (eThekweni) put on electric performances in their encounters. Adin Masencamp (Cape Winelands) used his carving rail game to collect a series of high scores and earn a comfortable heat win as he eyes a second successive title after winning the U17 boys crown last year..

The first round of the U12 girls paddled out and charged what for them were overhead waves with plenty of style. Lisa Van Heerden (Nelson Mandela Bay) racked up a really impressive 18.10 heat total with her smooth surfing while her teammate Zia Hendricks was another standout. Scarlette Van Jaarsveldt (Cape Town Surfriders) is showing the same talent as her brothers Ford and York have displayed as she too made it to the semifinals of her division.

The Repercharge rounds for those who did not finish in the top 2 in their opening heats started with theU16 girls. Kelly Fenton from host district Nelson Mandela Bay drew clean lines on the open wave faces and progressed to the quarterfinals along with Rentia Tromp (Cape Winelands), Claire Haskins (Ugu) and Hannah Moerdyk (Buffalo City).

The U18 girls were amped to have their turn in the pumping surf with Caitlin October (Cape Town Surfriders) and Carla Van Wyk (Buffalo City) the first to advance to the quarters with finesse. Nelson Mandela Bay girls Zoe Smith and Kelly Medley then dominated the next heat and will be action again tomorrow.

The day’s action again finished off with the U12 boys where Joel Fowles (Buffalo City) and Ben Ribbink (eThekweni) navigated the high tide to advance to the quarterfinals along with Ntokozo Maphumulo (SA Development Academy Team) and Josh Van Wyk (Cape Town Surfriders).

More swell and light winds are forecast for Jeffreys Bay over the weekend as the country’s top juniors compete for individual titles in U12, U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls divisions, while earning points towards the coveted Freedom Cup that goes to the district whose team accumulate the highest total.

There are also a number of specialty awards at stake including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls, while the team displaying the best spirit throughout the five-day event receives the prized Loud & Proud trophy.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Hashtag: #SAJuniorChamps

Website:
Contest schedule, results and images will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

Kai Woolf (Nelson Mandela Bay) shows the form that earned her two scores in the nine point range on Day 2 of the Billabong SA Junior Champs pres. by BOS at Jeffreys Bay today Photo: Billabong / McGregor

An increase in swell at Jeffreys Bay was just what was required on a busy second day at the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS where surfers in eight different divisions produced exciting performances as they challenged for national titles and team points.

The Under 18 boys were the first in the line-up today and Joshe Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay) kicked off things in spectacular fashion by winning his heat with a total of 16.16 out of 20 that included a couple of scores in the excellent range.

Luke Malherbe (Buffalo City) was on fire on his backhand, finding a couple of the day’s biggest waves and producing a near-perfect nine point ride. That was matched by Kody Oberholzer (eThekweni) who used his entire repertoire of forehand manoeuvres on the long J-Bay walls.

Surprise of the round was dark-horse Samuel Loppknow representing host district Nelson Mandela Bay who used all his local wave knowledge to pull off an impressive win over highly rated Calvin Goor from the Ilembe district team making their debut at the SA Junior Champs

Kai Woolf (Nelson Mandela Bay), who is chasing the U16 girls title after winning the U15’s last year, was determined to steal the boy’s thunder and absolutely dominated her heat with a pair of high nine point rides that rewarded her vertical backhand attack.
S’nenhlanhla Makhubu (eThekweni), who has just returned from competing in the ISA World Junior Champs in Japan, also delivered a classy performance on her backhand.

Last year’s SA Champ U17 girls champion Kirsty McGillivray (Nelson Mandela Bay) kept her campaign for back-to-back titles rolling in the U18 girls by producing a heat total in the high teens, carving her way to a 9.6 and backing it up with an 8.5

“The waves were really fun,” enthused the J-Bay local. “I picked up a great set wave that just gave me so much space to do turns.”

By midday the onshore wind was freshening but J-Bay’s perfect geography ensured running waves for the surfers in the cutthroat 15 minute repercharge round heats. Aya Gericke (Eden) and Tye Findlay (Buffalo City) were impressive in moving through to Round 3 of the U16 boys, while Matt O Brian (Buffalo City) and Declan Fiet (Cape Winelands) were among those who will compete in the next round of the U14 boys.

The Ugu district team were glad to see their U18 boys Tyler May, Senzo Shange and Dirkus Lubbe all escape the repercharge rounds and remain in contention for higher honours at the country’s premier event for surfers 18-and-under.

The U14 girls showed style and grace in their Round 2 encounters with Jess Powell (Ugu) and Chanel Shaw (Eden) advancing after a great heat. And the U12 boys wrapped up a long day with Joel Fowles (Buffalo City), Josh Van Wyk (Cape Town Surfriders), Ben Ribbink (eThekweni) and Ntokozo Maphumulo (Development Team) all stoked to progress to Round 3.

Alongside the individual titles at stake in the individual U12, U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls divisions, there are teams from eight districts plus the SA Development Academy competing for the coveted Freedom Cup.

There are also a number of specialty awards up for grabs including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls, while the teams compete for the prized Spirit Cup.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Hashtag: #SAJuniorChamps

Website:
Contest schedule, results and images will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay) was one of the top performers on the opening day of the Billabong SA Junior Champs pres. by BOS at Jeffreys Bay today Photo: Billabong / Thurtell

Competitors from all over the South African coastline were greeted with small and blustery surf which did little to deter their high spirits on the opening day of the 2017 Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS at Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay today, especially with an excellent forecast on the horizon.

The country’s top junior surfers charged the long, peeling waves and despite the inconsistent conditions they posted numerous rides in the excellent range (over 8 out of 10). The priority system being used at the event gave them a fair chance of progressing to the later rounds by eliminating the hustling to catch waves while the opening round is non-elimination so every competitor receives a second opportunity to shine.

The change in format to U12, U14, U16 and U18 age categories from the U13, U15 and U17 divisions used in the past has resulted in new rivalries being formed and new champions crowned.

As the various District teams staked their territory on the beach, the U14 boys division kicked off proceedings with Kye Macgregor (Nelson Mandela Bay) announcing himself as a threat by earning a heat total of 15.33 (out of 20) in the first heat of the event. Daniel Emslie (Buffalo City) put himself on the map when he delivered a 9-point ride and Nate Spalding (eThekweni) was another to rack up a heat total above 15 points.

Zoe Steyn clearly took notes from her teammate Daniel Emslie, as she also posted an impressive 9 point ride with her flowing backhand attack in the U14 girls. Kayla Nogueira (eThekweni), who has just returned from competing in the ISA World Junior Champs in Japan, also advanced directly to Round 3 and will no doubt be fighting to claim another SA title. And Ceara Knight (Cape Winelands) has shown massive improvement and will be hot on her heels.

The U16 boys division produced some explosive surfing despite the SA team members being jetlagged after returning from Japan just yesterday. Angelo Faulkner (Nelson Mandela Bay) displayed his local knowledge with a heat win in testing conditions brought on by the high tide. Teammates Ryan Lightfoot and Dellin Hendricks showed that they were right at home by clinching heat wins while Eli Beukes (Cape Town Surfriders) looked powerful and smooth in the small surf.

The U12 boys hit the surf to finish off the day and made the waves look bigger but is was just the competitors getting smaller as they surfed well beyond their years. Kyra Bennie (Cape Winelands) caught the attention of the judges and spectators after a near perfect ride earned a 9.6 and Ethan Currin (Buffalo City) and Joel Dace (Nelson Mandela Bay) were also top performers.

Tomorrow sees the start of premier U18 boys and girls divisions in what are predicted to be excellent conditions with a rising swell and light winds.

Alongside the coveted Freedom Cup and individual titles at stake, there are a number of specialty awards up for grabs including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls. The teams have also been making even more noise than usual supporting their teammates as they look to take home the prized Spirit Cup.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Website:
Contest schedule and results will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

Kirsty McGillivray (Nelson Mandela Bay) will be going for gold in the U18 girls’ division at the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS at Jeffreys Bay this week Photo: Ian Thurtell

South African Junior Surfing Titles and the Freedom Cup at Stake

The Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS, the country’s most prestigious annual surfing event for competitors aged 18-and-under, gets underway in the fabled high performance waves of the Lower Point in Jeffreys Bay on Wednesday and runs until Sunday 8 October.

The 21st edition of the five-day event will showcase the top young surfers from every corner of the coastline who have qualified for the SA Junior Champs via gruelling trials conducted by their respective district associations.

At stake are individual national titles for Under 12, Under 14, U16 and Under 18 boys and girls along with the coveted Freedom Cup, which was introduced in 2003 and goes to the district whose team members accumulate the highest points tally across all age divisions.

“We’re really proud to be the sponsors of the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS,” said Billabong South Africa Marketing Manager Chad D’Arcy. “This is the premier junior event on the Surfing South Africa calendar and to host it in our home town of Jeffreys Bay makes it even more special. Good luck to the country’s best young surfers in their quest for national titles.”

The host Nelson Mandela Bay team will be determined to retain the Freedom Cup while Cape Town Surfriders, the 2016 runners-up, will be hoping to return to the winning ways that saw them clinch the 2015 team title. The eThekweni team from Durban will present a strong challenge again and Cape Winelands, Buffalo City, Ugu, Eden and the team from the SA Development Academy will be going all out to improve on their final placing in the team standings. Newcomers Ilembe will be participating in the event for the first time,

“The Billabong Sa Junior Championships is the most significant annual tournament for South Africa’s U18, U16, U14 and U12 surfers,” says Surfing South Africa GM, Robin de Kock. “Surfing South Africa is stoked that it is taking place at Lower Point in J-Bay for the fifth year in a row and to be partnering with Billabong once again is just the cherry on top. I hope the waves are epic. Good luck to all”

The change in format from the U13, U15 and U17 age categories used over the past few years means that new champions will be crowned in all eight divisions. However many of the 2016 champions will be back to try and win back-to-back titles, including Adin Masencamp (Cape Winelands), Kirsty McGillivray and Kai Woolf (Nelson Mandela Bay), Max Elkington (Cape Town Surfriders) and eThekweni’s James Ribbink and Kayla Nogueira.

The 12 members of the South African Junior Surfing Team who participated in the recent ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Japan arrived back in the country yesterday and all will be competing for their respective District teams at Jeffreys Bay.

Alongside the Freedom Cup and individual titles at stake, there are a number of specialty awards up for grabs including the BOS Highest Heat Score, VonZipper Airshow and the Wazoogles Surfer of the Event for Boys and Girls.

The official Opening Function will be presided over by SSA General Manager Robin de Kock and takes place at the Billabong offices in Da Gama Rd at 7 pm, shortly after the Manager’s meeting which takes place at 6 pm at the same venue.

As part of Surfing South Africa’s commitment to transformation, the South African Development Academy team is participating thanks to support from Sea Harvest and a grant from Sport and Recreation South Africa.

All the action from the Billabong SA Junior Champs presented by BOS can be followed via:

Website:
Contest schedule and results will be posted daily on www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za

Surfing South Africa (SSA) is the recognised governing body for surfing in South Africa. SSA is a member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the International Surfing Association (ISA)

Ford van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie) on his way to clinching the U18 boys title at the Billabong Junior Series pres. by All Aboard Travel at Seal Point on Sunday Photo: Billabong / Thurtell

The 20th annual champions in the Billabong Junior Series pres. by All Aboard Travel were crowned at Seal Point in Cape St Francis on Sunday after the fourth and final event in 2017 series was completed in highly contestable 1 – 1.5 metre waves and glassy conditions.

Jake Elkington (Kommetjie) and Sophie Bell (Salt Rock) clinched the premier U18 boys’ and girls’ Billabong Junior Series titles which earned them each a coveted trip to the tropical surfing paradise of Bali thanks to All Aboard Travel. The same pair also topped the World Surf League (WSL) Africa Junior regional rankings lists and are the 2017 WSL Africa Junior champions.

The U16 boys’ and girls’ series titles were won by Angelo Faulkner (Jeffreys Bay) and Tayla de Coning (East London) respectively despite neither of them winning any of the four events. Ceara Knight (Cape Town) and Daniel Emslie (East London) each secured two event victories on their way to the U14 girls’ and boys’ series titles while Kyra Bennie (Vredehoek), the U12 boys’ series champion, won three of the four events in 2017

The seven finals run at Seal Point on Sunday produced phenomenal surfing with Ford van Jaarsveldt (Kommetjie) capturing his first WSL Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) men’s event victory after defeating Calvin Goor (Salt Rock). The lanky 18-year-old Capetonian posted a near perfect score of 9.0 out of ten plus three rides in the seven point range, the best of which was a 7.87, and his heat total of 16.87 left Goor still needing a 9.76 when time ran out.

Former Jeffreys Bay local Kai Woolf, now competing under the New Zealand flag, won both the JQS (U18) women’s event and the U16 girls’ division, delivering heat totals in the mid-teens in both finals. Woolf finished ahead of Taghiti Gericke (Wilderness) in the one-on-one JQS final while Olivia Izzard (La Lucia), Summer Sutton (Kommetjie) and Tayla de Coning (East London) challenged her throughout the U16 final.

Brazilian Ryan Kanailo was outstanding in the U12 boys’ final, earning a near perfect heat total of 18.70 out of 20 that left all three of his opponents needing to replace both their highest scoring rides in order to overtake him.

The highly anticipated VonZipper Air Show was staged after the finals and provided Calvin Goor (Salt Rock) with the chance to shine as he clinched the R2,000 winner-takes-all prize purse for landing the best aerial manoeuvre.

Full results for all divisions can be found at http://www.surfingsouthafrica.co.za and the heat scores, images and more JQS U18 men’s and women’s events can be found at www.worldsurfleague.com

The Billabong Junior Series pres. by All Aboard Travel is supported by BOS, VonZipper, Zigzag, Surfing South Africa and the World Surf League.

Billabong Junior Series pres. by All Aboard Travel2017 Final Series Rankings

About the World Surf League
The World Surf League (WSL), formerly the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), is dedicated to celebrating the world’s best surfing on the world’s best waves through a variety of best-in-class audience platforms. The League, headquartered in Santa Monica, is a truly global sport with regional offices in Australasia, Africa, North America, South America, Hawaii, Japan and Europe.

The WSL has been championing the world’s best surfing since 1976, running global events across the Samsung Galaxy Men’s and Women’s Championship Tours, the Big Wave Tour, Qualifying Series, Junior and Longboard Championships, as well as the WSL Big Wave Awards. The League possesses a deep appreciation for the sport’s rich heritage while promoting progression, innovation and performance at the highest levels.

Showcasing the world’s best surfing on its digital platform at WorldSurfLeague.com as well as the free WSL app, the WSL has a passionate global fan base with millions tuning in to see world-class athletes like Mick Fanning, John John Florence, Stephanie Gilmore, Greg Long, Gabriel Medina, Carissa Moore, Makua Rothman, Kelly Slater, Adriano de Souza and more battle on the most unpredictable and dynamic field of play of any sport in the world.

Surfing South Africa
Surfing South Africa (SSA) is recognised by the Dept. of Sport and Recreation as the national controlling body for the sport and is a member of the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).